Modern operating rooms typically include a table on which a patient lies during the operating procedure, and diagnostic equipment in the form of an x-ray source and an x-ray detector, is located on a gantry with the patient and operating table between the x-ray source and detector. The gantry is rotatable about a horizontal axis so that a surgeon viewing a display responsive to the detector is provided with real time display of the tissue being operated on. During the procedure, the patient is irradiated by x-rays for prolonged intervals and is moved relative to the source of x-rays by providing the table with motors and a linkage that move the table and patient relative to the platform in a plane parallel to the floor. At other times, it is essential that the table and patient remain stationary, a result achieved by providing the table with a braking arrangement for holding the table in situ relative to the platform.
The x-ray source can be activated to different intensity levels. The x-ray source is activated to a high intensity level, referred to as the cine mode, to provide an intensity sufficient to expose cine film and to provide fluoroscopy. The x-ray source is activated to a lower intensity, referred to as the fluoroscopy mode, when only fluoroscopy and no exposure of cine film is required. Typically, there is approximately a 4:1 ratio between the intensity level of the cine and fluoroscopy modes.
Because the surgeon and one or more assistants stand next to the operating table, they are constantly exposed to x-rays back-scattered from the patient and/or table unless adequate shielding is provided. The accumulated effect of the back-scattered radiation over many years of conducting surgical procedures may have deleterious effects on the health of the surgeon and assistant(s), and may induce cancer.
In an attempt to reduce the x-ray exposure to a surgeon and assistant(s) standing next to the side of an operating table while an x-ray source is irradiating a patient, the surgeon and assistant(s) usually wear leaded eyeglasses, a lead thyroid covering and a lead apron which covers the chest, abdomen and thighs but leaves uncovered the arms, hands, legs below the knees and head. The radiation protection is only partially effective in blocking radiation and leaves substantial parts of the body uncovered. The amount of back-scattered x-ray radiation incident on the surgeon and assistant(s), particularly during the cine mode, is believed to be substantial enough to cause damage to the surgeon and assistant(s) over a prolonged time period.
In some instances, the surgeon and assistant(s) stand behind lead shield panels that are transparent to optical energy but substantially opaque to x-rays. The lead shield panels are typically unitary structures fixedly mounted on frames carrying casters, as disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,778, incorporated herein by reference.
The panels are made of lead glass having sufficient thickness to substantially attenuate the back-scattered x-rays and thereby protect the surgeon and assistants. The panels do not enable the surgeon and/or assistants easy access to the patient during the operating procedure. Consequently, if access to the patient is necessary during the procedure and while the patient is being x-rayed, there is a high likelihood of sensitive body portions of the surgeon and/or assistant(s) being irradiated with undesirable doses of back-scattered x-ray radiation.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of and apparatus for shielding surgeons and/or assistants from x-rays during surgery while x-rays are being used for diagnostic purposes.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of and apparatus for shielding critical body parts of surgeons and/or assistant(s) during an operating procedure that is accompanied by a patient being exposed to diagnostic x-rays, wherein the shield arrangement enables relatively easy access to the patient.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shield panel arrangement for an operating room including x-ray diagnostic equipment, wherein the shield panel arrangement includes moving parts that are relatively easily moved, despite the substantial weight and density of the shield panels.